[kahnpro]

Without a government they can start to take this authority themselves in much the same way that local warlords do. Gradually by force, because they have power and you don't.

A small / weak government can't do anything to stop them.

[AnimalMuppet]

Small != weak. Did the US have a large government in 1900? Certainly not by the standards of today. Yet it was still able to take on Standard Oil.